YES. All sales of firearms, including private sales, must be conducted through a federally licensed firearms dealer who will conduct a background check on the buyer. In 2014 WA became the first state in the nation to pass a universal background check law by voter initiative.

NO. State law preempts local government from enacting legislation except in very specific situations. The validity of a local restriction depends upon its language and whether it is found to be preempted.

New York, NY -- Pistol or revolver licensees or permittees may not possess ammunition feeding devices capable of holding more than 17 rounds of ammunition. No disposing of or possessing ammunition feeding devices for rifle or shotgun that is capable of holding more than 5 rounds of ammunition

Los Angeles, CA -- No sale or transfer of ammunition for large caliber firearm

San Francisco, CA -- No sale or transfer of 50 caliber firearm or cartridge

San Francisco, CA -- Lists specific ammunition brands and types prohibited, including ammunition designed to fragment upon impact

San Francisco, CA -- No ultra-compact firearm sales by dealers

Child Access Prevention (CAP)

NO. WA does not have specific child access provisions though the law does not permit transfer to someone when reasonable cause to believe the person is legally unable to possess a gun. CAP laws in other states require safe storage devices, training/education, etc.

No explicit criminal liability where poor storage allows child to access a firearm.

Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; Oakland, CA; Portland, OR; San Diego, CA -- Unlawful to store firearm in close proximity to ammunition where minor (younger than 18 years) could gain easy access (guilty if minor obtains and fires it in Oakland and San Diego)

Philadelphia, PA -- Unlawful for adult to intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly facilitate or permit the discharge of a firearm by a child or to allow child to obtain unsupervised access. Safe storage is a defense to prosecution

Rifles/shotguns  Can possess/use in certain circumstances. Even though state law default is that youth under 18 may not possess guns, the law gives 9 exceptions1. These broad exceptions effectively allow possession in many circumstances, but juveniles (below age 21) may not apply for concealed weapon permit and must be on their property with permission of a parent, unless meeting one of other exceptions.

Handguns- Cannot possess if under 18 (prohibited under Federal law, with certain exceptions for the temporary transfer and possession of handguns and handgun ammunition for specified activities, including employment, ranching, farming, target practice and hunting.)

*37 states impose stricter minimum age than Federal law for purchase and/or possession of firearms, and vary including all firearm purchase, handgun possession, and long guns.

San Jose, CA -- No selling, disposing, or giving firearms to under 18 without written request of parent or guardian. No possession without written consent of parent or guardian

Phoenix, Arizona -- No possession in public place or private property except if owned by minor’s parents, grandparents or guardian  can be allowed for hunting, shooting events, or farming

New York, NY -- No permit or license if under 21

Access to Guns for Youth 18-21

MIXED.

Sale to 18-21:

Rifles/shotguns  Federally-licensed dealer and private seller may sell to 18-21 year olds.

Handguns  Private seller may sell to 18-21 year olds.

Possession/Use by 18-21:

Rifles/shotguns  Possession is permitted, as long as person is not prohibited under other explicit areas of the law that limit possession due to categorical exclusion. (See potentially violent offender limits below)

Handguns  Possession is permitted, but may not have concealed weapon permit under 21, so effectively limited to residence, business, on his/her property.

Ammunition: No age limit for purchase/use under WA law

*37 states impose stricter minimum age than Federal law for purchase and/or possession of firearms, and vary including all firearm purchase, handgun possession, and long guns.

New York, NY -- Can use shotgun or rifle only under supervision of owner

San Francisco, CA (also by CA state law) -- No pistol or revolver

New York, NY -- No permit or license if under 21

Restrictions on adult/youth possession

Federal law sets minimums  Washington law mirrors many provisions in federal law

RCW 9.41.040

RCW 9.41.340

YES. Felon Possession. WA prohibits those convicted of felonies from possessing a firearm, unless that right is restored by a court. For certain felonies, the penalty is more serious. Note that felonies can be pled to misdemeanors through plea bargain.

MIXED. Misdemeanants’ Possession. Those convicted of certain misdemeanor crimes cannot possess a firearm, including specific crimes against family members, unless that right is restored by a court. Note that felonies can be pled to misdemeanors through plea bargain.

NO.Alcohol/Substance Abusers. WA law does not address limits on alcohol/substance abusers. Some limits exist on sales/possession by substance abusers under federal law.

MIXED.Mentally Ill. WA law prohibits those who have been found not guilty by reason of insanity for certain crimes or committed for mental health treatment from possessing a firearm, unless that right is restored by a court. Specific mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and major depression do not prohibit firearm possession.

MIXED.Youth possession. WA law has a 10-day sentence for the first 4 convictions for illegal possession of a firearm, but there are numerous sentencing alternatives, such as deferred dispositions, and other ways around the 10-day provision. For youth, it takes 5 convictions before sentencing of 15 to 36 weeks to the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration.

MIXED.Domestic Violence. WA law prohibits possession of a firearm by anyone who has been convicted of a domestic violence crime or who has a restraining order related to the safety of an intimate partner. In 2015, a law was passed that requires law enforcement to allow family or household members to request to be notified before a firearm is returned to a person who was previously required to surrender the firearm.

*Federal laws provide basic minimums for prohibitions, including prohibiting ownership by convicted felons, those adjudicated as criminally insane and those involuntarily committed.

New York City, NY -- Must have firearm permit approved by police commissioner. Must have pistol/revolver license for purchase. Person may only purchase/possess ammunition for the type of gun for which he/she has a permit/license

New York, NY -- No firearm permit for those under 21, not in good moral character, convicted of felony, currently having mental disorder, or possessing defects that impair ability to safely possess gun

Seattle, WA -- Unlawful to carry or place loaded pistol in any vehicle, unless the person has a CPL and the licensee is within the vehicle at all times that the pistol is there. Unlawful to have loaded rifle or shotgun in motor vehicle

Seattle, WA -- No use of weapons to intimidate another person

Records and Reporting

Sacramento, CA -- Ammunitions vendor must keep a log of sales and give it to police department

Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY; San Francisco, CA -- All ammunition sales or transfers must be reported to police

*HI, DC  require registration of all firearms. DC’s registration was challenged and parts of its statute over-turned subsequent to this research (mid-September, 2015).

Detroit, MI -- Handgun registration required

New York, NY -- Registration of rifles and shotguns

New York, NY -- Handgun registration by state law

Seattle, WA -- Felony firearm offender must register as one

Waiting period

RCW 9.41.092

MIXED. Allows 10 business days to complete a background check; not a mandatory waiting period.

*10 states plus DC have wait periods; including 4 states with wait period for Federally-licensed and private sales

Chicago, IL -- Dealers must wait until 24 hours after firearm application was made before delivering firearm to purchaser; this wait time is extended to 72 hours for handguns

San Francisco, CA; Washington, D.C. -- No delivery of pistol or revolver until 10 days after application for purchase made

San Jose, CA -- No pistol or revolver delivered within 15 days of application for purchase

Multiple purchases

NO. No limit on number of purchases.

*CA, MD, NJ and DC restrict # of purchases in a specified period

Chicago, IL; Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA -- No person can purchase more than one handgun within 30 days

New York, NY -- No purchases of multiple firearms in same transaction. No multiple firearm purchases within 90 days

Gun Violence Tax

NO.

Seattle, WA -- $25 per gun and 2 to 5 cents on ammunition imposed to generate funding for programs aimed to research and prevent gun violence

1RCW 9.41.042 allows the following exceptions for youth possession. A youth under 18 may possess if s/he is:

In attendance at a hunter’s safety course or firearms safety course

Engaging in practice in use of a firearm or target shooting at an established range[1] or any other area where discharge of firearm not prohibited

Engaged in organized competition or performance

Hunting or trapping with a valid license issued to the person

In an area where discharge of a firearm is permitted and is not trespassing, and the person is either: (a) at least 14, has been issued a hunter safety certificate, and is using a lawful firearm other than a pistol; or (b) us under the supervision of a parent, guardian, or other adult approved by the parent or guardian

Traveling to/from one of the above activities and the firearm is unloaded

On property of parent, relative or legal guardian, and with permission to possess a firearm

At his or her residence and, with permission of parent or legal guardian, possesses a firearm for purpose of exercising right of lawful use of force (self-defense) per RCW 9A.16.020(3).

Is a member of the armed force, when on duty.

* City ordinances methods section: Selected large cities in US (Top 20 cities by population size, and also all cities in National Association of City and County Health Officials “Big City” group). A list of city municipal code websites was then compiled. A search for laws was completed from the city municipal code websites using the following syntax and search term: “firearms” and that were in force as of Sept. 30, 2015. Primary coding using broad categories listed in the above chart occurred during Sept.  Dec. 2015. Secondary and tertiary coding by additional coders occurred in Jan.  Feb. 2016. Divergent coding was compared and laws were reviewed again with all coders present to reach 100% inter-rater reliability. Additional research was conducted using municipal code websites and telephone calls to city clerks’ offices where municipal code websites were unclear to ensure that any amendments to codified language were captured (as of Sept. 30, 2015). Washington, DC, is included under “States” column.